Safety handle for confections



J1me 1941- E. E. CAHOON' SAFETY HANDLE FOR CONFECTIONS Filed Dec. 21,1939 Edy 5rd E. 55/7007? Patented June 24, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE [2,246,778 Q SAFETY HANDLE FOR CONFECTIONS k I Edward E.CahoomRacine, Wis. Application December 21, 1939, Serial No. 310,418

V ,4 Claims.

This application is a continuation inpart of the copending applicationof Edward E. Cahoon, Serial No. 230,023, filed September 15, 1938yandrelates to lollipops and other similar confections, and refers moreparticularly to an improved handle therefor. r

Heretofore, lollipopsand other confections of this type were providedwith rigid Wooden sticks which were embedded in the body of theconfection so that the projecting end of the stick formed a handletherefor. I

While this construction provided adequate means for a user to hold theconfection, the problem of injury to children, among whomthis type ofconfection is extremely popular, was always present. Completely unawareof danger, children oftentimes disregarded the handle of the confectionpreferring to hold the same in their mouths while concentrating all oftheir attention upon games or other forms of amusement. Inasmuch asthese amusements generally include running, climbing or jumping, theconsequent danger of a child falling while holding a confection in hismouth with the handle protruding is evident.

Instances in which the interior of the childs mouth or throat has beenseriously injured due to falling while unthinkingly rompingwiththeconfection in his mouth unattended arenumerous. Obviously, the danger of"injuryto the mouth or throat is multiplied in the event pieces of theconfection, which is usually hard, have been bitten off and leave sharpedges protruding therefrom. i i

With a View toward overcoming these dangers, this invention contemplatesproviding lollipops or other similar confections with-a handle sodesigned as to render the use of these confections by childrennon-injurious. a r More specifically, it is an objectof this inventionto provide lollipops or other like confections with a handle having aweakened or frangible safety portion exteriorly of the confectionadapted to give way and separate the handle from the confection itselfupon the application of; any

lateral force on the handle so as to prevent the application of endwiseforce on the confection or embedded part of the handle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a handle for lollipopsand like confections, which is breakable upon the application of forcethereon and which does not require special machinery for insertionthereof into the confection in the manufacture of the confection.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates several complete examples of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with thebest modes so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged view of a lollipop with parts thereof brokenaway to show the application of the improved handle thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a modified form of handle;

' Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2 illustrating furthermodified forms of handle;

Figure 5 is a view illustrating the manner in which the handle is brokenoff and separated from the body of the confection upon the applicationof force on the handle as when a child, having a lollipop in its mouth,falls.

Referring now particularly to the accompanyingdrawing, in which likenumerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a lollipop orother confection having a handle 6. The handle 6 is preferably a roundstick with one end I embedded or molded into the body of the lollipop.The remaining portion 8 of the handle, which projects from the lollipop,as is customary, provides means by which the confection may be held.

The handle 6 is preferably formed of wood and between its portions 1 and8 it is weakened through the provision of a tapered neck 9. At its pointof smallest cross section, the neck 9 is considerably smaller indiameter than the other portions of the handle, while the opposite endsof the neck which connect with the adjacent ends of the sections I and 8of the stick taper outwardly to Vii venting the application of endwiseforce on the confection or embedded portion 1.

It is important to note that the neck 9 is circular in cross section andcoaxial with the sections '1 and 8 of the stick. Preferably, the neckhas a diameter at its smallest point not exceeding the radius of the endsections 1 and 8. Thus it will be seen that the neck is readily brokenupon the application of lateral force from any direction on either endof the stick while the other end is maintained substantially stationary.

The modified embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 2 and 3 aresubstantially like that shcwnin Figure 1, the only difference being inthe specific formation of the weakened necks. In the construction ofFigure 2, the frangible portion consists of a coaxial neck [3 of uniformdiameter throughout its length as distinguished from the construction ofFigure 1 in which the neck tapers.

In Figure 3, th frangible neck I5, is of the same general type asillustrated in Figures 1 and 2, but has its point of smallest crosssection centrally thereof, with its opposite ends filletingsymmetrically into the adjacent ends of the sections I and 8.

If desired, the stick may be provided with two frangible necks l1separated by a substantially spherical portion I8 as shown in Figure 4;.The necks I! are of the same proportions at their smallest points as isthe neck I5 of the stick illustrated in Figure 3, while the sphericalportion 18 is enlarged to a diameter not exceeding the diameter of theend sections 1 and 8.

In this embodiment of the invention as in the others, the diameter ofeither neck at its small est point does not exceed the radius of the endsections 1 and 8 of the stick, which thereby insures ready breakage ateither neck.

In all embodiments shown, breakage at the reduced neck is assured uponthe application of lateral force or bending stress on the stick in anydirection whatever, for it is to be seen that the necks are of the samethickness at any two cross axial planes normal to one another. Thus theforce required to break the neck is the same regardless of from whichdirection the force is applied.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that thisinvention affords a novel handle for lollipops or like confectionsthrough the use of which a very serious danger of injury to the user iscompletely eliminated, and that this improvement can be utilized withoutentailing the provision of special machinery for the manufacture of theconfections.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A safety stick confection comprising: a mass of solidifiedconfection, and a stick, one end portion of which stick constitutes ahandle when the other end portion thereof is embedded in the mass of theconfection, both of said end portions being of substantially the samecross section and integrally united with one another by an interposed,relatively weak safety portion, so positioned in the length of the stickas to be exterior of such mass of confection, said safety portion beingof less cross section than said end portions and of the same thicknessat any two cross axial planes normal to one another.

2. A safety stick sucker comprising: a mass of solidified confection; asafety stick having one end portion thereof embedded in said mass andthe other end portion projecting exteriorly of the mass and constitutinga handle therefor, both of said end portions being of substantially thesame cross section and integrally united with one another externally ofthe mass of confection by an interposed relatively weak safety portionof less cross section than said end portions and of the same thicknessat any two cross axial planes normal to one another, whereby said stickwill break externally of the mass of said confection when saidprojecting portion of the stick is subjected to breaking strains fromany lateral direotion.

3, A safety stick sucker comprising: a mass of solidified confection; asafety stick having one end portion thereof embedded in said mass andthe other end portion projecting exteriorly of the mass and constitutinga handle therefor, both of said end portions being substantiallycylindrical and of substantially the same diameter and integrally unitedwith one another by an interposed relatively weak safety portion ofcircular cros section of less radius than said end portions andpositioned to break exteriorly of the mass of confection when saidprojecting portion of the stick is subjected to breaking strains fromany lateral direction.

4. A safety stick confection comprising: a mass of solidifiedconfection, an elongated substantially cylindrical wooden stick havingone end por tion adapted to be embedded in the solidified mass ofconfection so that its opposite end portion which projects from theconfection forms a handle therefor, said stick having a circumferentialgroove therein so positioned as to be outside and adjacent to the bodyof the confection providing a relatively weak substantially coaxial neckcircular in cross section and of a diameter at its smallest point notexceeding the radius of the cylindrical end portion of the stick wherebythe stick is readily broken externally of the confection at said neckupon the application of lateral force from any direction on the handleportion so as to preclude the application of endwise force on theembedded portion.

EDWARD E. CAHOON.

